TJ Expert (97)

Through the Eyes of Yankelovich

Through the Eyes of Yankelovich

Challenging the Economist Worldview

IN a recent New York Times article, the noted American economist Tyler Cowen challenged one of the truisms of economic theory: the assumption that it is just a matter of time before technological innovation replaces all the jobs that it destroys. Economists have taken this assumption for granted ever since Britain proved the Luddite challenge unfounded in the late 18th century. The Luddites wanted to destroy the new machines that they felt were destroying their jobs. But as time passed, technology came to be seen as a mighty creator as well as destroyer of jobs.

GLOBAL EDUCATOR DAVID NUNAN

Transforming Education Through the Virtual Classroom

"...learning can, and does, occur wherever we happen to be."

THE title of this column is "David Nunan's Global Classroom." But what does this really mean? How can a classroom be “global?” Before we address this question, we need to decide what the word “classroom” really means. To paraphrase the dictionary definition, it refers to a room, typically in a school, in which a group of students are taught. If this is the case, then adding the adjective “global” before “classroom” would seem odd, or even downright contradictory. In this article, I want to argue why we can no longer think of a classroom in the traditional sense as a space simply defined by four walls, a ceiling and a floor, inhabited by a teacher and students, and created for the purposes of acquiring knowledge.

Corporate Governance Code in Japan

Corporate Governance Code in Japan

As one of the measures of the Japan Revitalization Strategy approved by the Cabinet, the Corporate Governance Code was issued on June 1, 2015, a joint effort of the Financial Service Agency and the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE). Accordingly, TSE’s listing rules and regulations were revised. Japan’s initiatives for the corporate governance system have significantly accelerated in recent years.

Minds and Machines

Minds and Machines

OUR lives depend too much on technology. The theory of Moore’s Law tells us that computing power will continue to double every two years, meaning that technology will become ever more accessible and affordable to people. A result of relying too much on technology is that people tend to live on autopilot with only a dull awareness of even the most special moments in their lives. Tuning out real human connections and experiences brings feelings of isolation, depression and other physical, emotional and psychological dysfunctions, even toxic self-criticism. It’s no wonder that Internet addiction is now considered a legitimate medical disorder.

Taking the Higher Road

The Chaotic Contrasts of Kathmandu

The Chaotic Contrasts of Kathmandu

KATHMANDU is a sprawling nightmare. A million people live within the city’s labyrinth streets. Buddhist and Hindu temples are peppered throughout the city, their crumbling ramparts propped up with timber and hastily constructed retaining walls. Ancient buildings lean threateningly to one side; the adjacent buildings are sometimes the only obstacle delaying their catastrophic collapse. Incredibly, people still live in these dilapidated structures. Some inhabitants squat, cooking their meager meals over open ames. Others wash themselves with buckets of water on crumbling second-storey balconies, unconcerned with the potential avalanche surrounding them.

Through the Eyes of Yankelovich

Through the Eyes of Yankelovich

Challenging the Economist Worldview

IN a recent New York Times article, the noted American economist Tyler Cowen challenged one of the truisms of economic theory: the assumption that it is just a matter of time before technological innovation replaces all the jobs that it destroys. Economists have taken this assumption for granted ever since Britain proved the Luddite challenge unfounded in the late 18th century. The Luddites wanted to destroy the new machines that they felt were destroying their jobs. But as time passed, technology came to be seen as a mighty creator as well as destroyer of jobs.